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A continuous wave optical parametric oscillator, generating up to 300 mW idler output in the 3–4 μm wavelength region, and pumped by a fiber-amplified DBR diode laser is used for trace gas detection by means of quartz-enhanced photoacoustic spectroscopy (QEPAS). Mode-hop-free tuning of the OPO output over 5.2 cm-1 and continuous spectral coverage exceeding 16.5 cm-1 were achieved via electronic pump source tuning alone. Online monitoring of the idler wavelength, with feedback to the DBR diode laser, provided an automated closed-loop control allowing arbitrary idler wavelength selection within the pump tuning range and locking of the idler wavelength with a stability of 1.7×10-3 cm-1 over at least 30 min. Using this approach, we locked the idler wavelength at an ethane absorption peak and obtained QEPAS data to verify the linear response of the QEPAS signal at different ethane concentrations (100 ppbv-20 ppmv) and different power levels. The detection limit for ethane was determined to be 13 ppbv (20 s averaging), corresponding to a normalized noise equivalent absorption coefficient of 4.4×10-7 cm-1 W/Hz1/2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a high-power (2.75 W), broadly tunable (2.75–3.83 μm) continuous-wave optical parametric oscillator based on MgO-doped periodically poled lithium niobate. Automated tuning of the pump laser, etalon and crystal temperature results in a continuous wavelength coverage up to 450 cm-1 per poling period at <5×10-4 cm-1 resolution. The versatility of the optical parametric oscillator as a coherent light source in trace-gas detection is demonstrated with photoacoustic and cavity ring-down spectroscopy. A 17-cm-1-wide CO2 spectrum at 2.8 μm and multi-component gas mixtures of methane, ethane and water in human breath were measured using photoacoustics. Methane (at 3.2 μm) and ethane (at 3.3 μm) were detected using cavity ring-down spectroscopy with detection limits of 0.16 and 0.07 parts per billion by volume, respectively. A recording of 12CH4 and 13CH4 isotopes of methane shows the ability to detect both species simultaneously at similar sensitivities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A continuous wave, single frequency and continuously tunable optical parametric oscillator is used in combination with photoacoustic spectroscopy to detect trace emissions of CO2 from insects under atmospheric conditions. The optical parametric oscillator (OPO) contains a periodically poled lithium niobate crystal and is tunable over the 3.9 to 4.8 μm infrared wavelength region. With the strong rotational-vibrational absorption band of CO2 at 4.23 μm, it is possible to detect CO2 down to 7 parts per billion volume using 20 mW of the OPO beam. This detection sensitivity was achieved by adding 4% of SF6 gas to the atmospheric gas mixture to overcome the slow vibrational relaxation of the excited CO2 levels. The usefulness of this system is demonstrated by real-time measuring of the fluctuations of the CO2 concentration in the breath of a single ant (Lasius niger) and individual fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present three different detection schemes for measuring carbon monoxide (CO) in direct absorption using a thermoelectrically cooled, distributed-feedback pulsed quantum cascade (qc) laser operating between 2176 and 2183 cm-1. The laser emission has overlap with the strong R(8)1 ro-vibrational transition in CO at 2176.2835 cm-1. Firstly, by utilizing the frequency chirp of the qc-laser with long laser pulses, a minimal detectable absorption of 1.2×10-5 cm-1 is achieved at an acquisition rate of 3 Hz. Additionally, with short laser pulses and slow frequency scanning a minimal detectable absorption 8.2×10-7 cm-1 is reported, with an acquisition time of 60 s. Finally, a novel amplitude modulation technique is developed to facilitate real-time measurement of CO in exhaled air. The application of this detector to detection of CO in a single breath as a potential non-invasive diagnostic tool is shown. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new singly resonant, single-frequency optical parametric oscillator (OPO) has been developed for the 2.6–4.7 μm infrared wavelength region, using a high power (>20 W), widely tunable (1024–1034 nm) Yb:YAG pump source. With the OPO frequency stabilized with an intracavity etalon, the OPO achieved an idler output power of 3 W at 2.954 μm. Tuning of the idler frequency was achieved by longitudinal mode-hop tuning of the pump source (FSR 100 MHz). In this way an idler frequency scan of 100–150 GHz could be obtained, after which the signal frequency hops ahead over the FSR of the intracavity etalon of the OPO (207 GHz). Due to un-optimized mirror coatings for the OPO cavity and PPLN crystal, the frequency stability was limited to 90 MHz over 1 s, with an unaffected long-term frequency stability of 250 MHz over 200 seconds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]